Heath Bar Cake

I would guess, if I had to, that the most requested birthday cake flavor is Funfetti. Everybody loves the yellow cake speckled with colorful candy sprinkles, and I am one that agrees with the crowd. Once, for a friend's birthday, I made a homemade version. The box was better! It was my birthday last week, and my chef boyfriend who hates to measure and bake in general whipped it up. The point is, it's a cinch.

But sometimes, sometimes, you want to put a little extra TLC into your cake. Especially when it's your sister's birthday. Especially when you need to kill… oh, say 6 hours, because Sunday football isn't your thing (sorry, America).

So I did just that. I spent a lot of time (and still not quite enough) making, assembling, and frosting this cake. And the results you ask? Well, magnificent. One of my bests… though not my most beautiful.

Alas, if you like chocolate, caramel, whipped cream or heath bars, I suggest you keep reading.

For the Cake:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

1 container Cool Whip (thawed) – or your favorite whipped cream frosting

3 crumbled Heath Bars

For the Caramel Sauce

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup half-and-half or cream

1 tbsp vanilla

Dash of salt

1- 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl of a standing mixer. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water, and don’t be worried that your batter is thin… it’s supposed to be! Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely and frost with your Cool Whip or other whipped cream frosting. I did not give this enough time and my cake collapsed initially.

4. For caramel sauce, mix all ingredients except for sweetened condensed milk in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5-10 minutes, until thicker. Add sweetened condensed milk and stir until combined and easy to drizzle. Turn off heat and drizzle over cake. If sauce is thin, just continue cooking for a few more minutes

Thank you Hershey's and Pioneer Woman for allowing me to adapt your recipes.